Holder for replaceable paper rolls



y 19, 1953 w. E. GOUGH, JR 2,639,099

HOLDER FOR REPLACEABLE PAPER ROLLS Filed Aug. 17, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet l ww Z55 y 1953 w. E. GOUGH, JR 2,639,099

HOLDER FOR REPLACEABLE PAPER ROLLS Filed Aug. 17, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 19, 1953 William E. Gough, Jr., Chicago, The Feb.- Products... Company,

partnership.

Ill assignor to; Chi a o... Il -H Application August 17, 1948, Serial No. 14,777 6.0laims. (Cl. 242F552.)

This: invention relates to improvements holders for replaceable paper rolls and, more; particularly concerns holders of the type which are adapted to serve as bathroom or'kit'chen fix-- tures;

An important object of the; present invention is. to provide improvements in holders for re.- placeable paper rolls, such as-toiletpapenpaper towels, or the like; and which will afiord-an at.- tractive ornamental: fixture in which. the paper roll is concealed fromview.

Another object: of the invention to provide an improved; holder for'replaceablepaper rolls. which is conveniently constructed and arranged: for ready replacement oftthei rollsand whichis adapted: to be made inexpensively. from. plastic material.

A further object of the invention is to provide a replaceable paper roll holder which can be made of a-minimum number of. components.

Stillanother object. of! the invention isto provide an improved holder for paper rolls. and. which includes a concealed. deodorant. or perfumant supply structure.

Another. object. of. the inventionis to provide... an improved. holder for replaceablepaper rolls. in which the rollsare supportedin. an improved.

manner.

It isalso an. object of the invention to.-pro.vid.e. an. improved mandrel structure, for replaceable paper.- roll fixtures.

Other objects, features, and. advantages .of. the present. invention will be readily apparentfrom the following detaileddescriptionof certain pre.- ferred'embodiments thereof takenin conjunction. with the accompanying. two. sheets of. drawings, infwhichc Figure l is a front elevational view of. apaper roll holder embodying. features of. the, invention and; withcertain portions thereof broken. away and in section for clarity of illustration;

Figure 2 is a side elevational and. sectional view of the holder taken substantially onthe line ill-11 of Figure 1;

Figure 3- is an enlarged central vertical sectional view of theholder taken substantially on the line II-I.-III of- Figure l: and disclosing in end elevation a paper roll inserted in the :holder;

Figure 41 is a frontzelevationahview of: aimodiefled form of the holder and. with certain.- parts broken away and in sections for: purpose of clarity and Figurefi is a side elevational view OfxtheJhOldBli of Figure4.

A paperzholderaocording to thepresent invenablyrounded formed. at. its inner edge with. an upper a tion;v and: as shown; in; Figures L, 2. andv 3,. com-- prisesmerely; three-principalacomponents; namely,-. a1baseonbracketmember l0, acover member. H and'a mandrehmember l2. Eachof; these mem.-

bers-isadapted-to-being made as: a, unit from a.

suitable: plasticv material. and adaptedto. be molded; 11130118" piecetandin. any prefer-redi color, or combination of; colors.-.. As; a result the; com. pletedlunit afiordsanlinexp ensive highly; attrac tive fixture for a bathroom, kitchen, or the like...

The; bracket member." H1 comprises a. vertical backpanell3.-and,f.or.ward1y. extending. vertical, preferably paralleli spaced side, panels. [4,. while theuppen edge. of. theback panel. is-zpreferablyi r iormedwith aforwardly projectingnarrow flangei 1.5:- which may: join. at, its. ends, with. the. uppen edges of. the. side panels: Hand affords .reinforce mentto assist inlmaintaininathe latter "in pr p r spacedrelation. Appropriate. apertures. llare, afiorded; in, the: back. panel. lit to. accommodate. iasteninameans such SaSQIGWS l8tby; which-the, bracket is, adapted to be; secured: to.=a,.wall. I 9. or. thalike,

Each otthe.sidapanelsv lA is preferably formed,

' with, a generally vertical. lower. front. edge. por-- tion or. sectionllt and. an. upper inset. diagonal edge. portion. or section. 2.]. extending. fromx the.

flange lidiagonally, downwardly and. forwardlm, X and merging with a mandrel. bearing. depression. 22.. attire-inner endof. anuipstandingv ear. portion.

23. intervening. between the mandrel. bearing. de.- pression. and. the lower. for-ward edge, portion 20., of. the panel.

The cover member; H, isformed with a prefer-- contour. irremss section andv com:- prises a..combination.top and front wall,pane1.24; which, may. lie. horizontally, at. the; top. and. extendforwardly. and;then on. acurve downwardly betweenspaced. parallel. side, wallpanels, 25. of the .same spacinaasthe side wall panels Mof, the bracket. member and. adapted. in. assembly to, form. separable: forward complementary extensionsof the bracket side: wall, panels. For this. purpose each. of the; cover. side. wall. panels 25. is diagonal portion 7.3L complementary to the. diagonal portion. Ll. of. thev bracket .side wallpanel 1.4; ,a bearing-,on mandrelretainer notchor recess 28 com.- plementary to and cooperative with the.bearits ing.v recess. 21, a generally horizontal edge, porti'on 2.9 extending, fromfihebearingnot'ch complementary. tosthe upper. edge, of the .ear 2.3.;,and. a generally. lower vertical. edge; portion. 30, com-- plementarya to: and; ensageabley with. the..1ower..

edge portion. 211,. ofthe. cooperatina bracket. side wall I4. Thus, in assembly the side wall edges of the cover will interfit snugly and attractively with the side wall panels l4 of the bracket and provide a neat streamlined appearance.

At its upper edge the cover II has a hinge connection 3| with the forward edge of the bracket member flange [5. Through this arrangement the cover is adapted to be swung upwardly away from the bracket side wall panels [4 for access to the interior of the holder, substantially as shown in Figure 3 where the cover is depicted in dot and dash outline in merely partially opened condition, but it can be raised all the way up, the forwardly extending top flange l5 on the bracket offsetting the edge of the cover far enough from the wall l9 so that full opening of the cover is practicable.

The mandrel I2 is of a substantially improved construction and is adapted to be made as a onepiece resilient plastic molded structure. A salient feature of the mandrel comprises the advantageous formation of the body portion thereof as mutually acting, oppositely bowed resilient leaf clutch spring sections or portions 32. At their adjacent opposite ends the spring sections 32 are united integrally and in one piece with respective cylindrical bearing neck sections 33 terminating in suitable space relation to the ends of the spring sections in respective knob portions 34.

The spring sections 32 are bowed apart an ample distance so that the maximum outside face spacing therebetween is somewhat greater than the inside diameter of the usual core tube identified at 35 in Figure 3 of a paper roll 31 adapted to be mounted on the mandrel. Since the inside dimensions of the core tubes 35 may vary some in the rolls of paper derived from various manufacturers, the outside bowed spacing of the clutch spring sections 32 preferably exceeds the maximum inside diameter core dimension that may reasonably be expected to be obtained on the market. If desired, of course, the mandrel spring sections 32 may be especially related as to spacing for any special core size. As a result, when the mandrel I2 is inserted within the core tube 35, the central portions of the arcs of the clutch spring sections 32 will engage resiliently with the inside surface of the core tube and by the necessary compression thereof, to accommodate the smaller inside dimension of the core tube, will exert an effectual frictional grip upon the core tube which affords substantial hold upon the paper roll against turning relative to the mandrel. A tendency toward relative slipping is further inhibited by having the spring sections substantially fiat in cross section so that it is actually the edges of the central portions of the spring section bows that engage the inside of the core tube strongly and tend to press into the engaged narrow linear areas of the core tube surface under the mutual outward resilient pressure of the spring sections. Since the spring sections 32 taper symmetrically toward each opposite end of the mandrel, the mandrel is adapted to be inserted into the core tube of the paper roll 31 from either end and no special attention need be paid to which end of the mandrel is inserted through the paper roll.

In order to effect a neat, yet a free turning relationship of the journal neck portions 33 of the mandrel within the bearing provided therefor by the cooperating bearing depressions and notches 22 and 28 at each respective side of the holder, the outside diameter of each of the bear- 4 ing necks 33 is substantially the same as the diameter of the respective bearing apertures formed by the separable cooperating notches and recesses 22 and 28.

The length of the respective bearing or journal necks 33 is preferably equal and of such an extent between the ends of the spring sections 32 and the respective knobs 34 as to afford ample clearance for elongation and contraction of the mandrel l2 as between its condition free from the paper roll where the spring sections 32 are under maximum expansion, as seen in Figure 1, and the elongated condition of the mandrel caused by compression of the spring sections 32. In this connection, of course, the length of the spring sections 32 is substantially less than the width or spacing between the side walls l4 of the bracket member.

The knobs or handles 34 are each preferably more or less outwardly tapered or bullet shaped in order to facilitate entry into the core tube 35 of the paper roll. The length of each of the knob members 34 is preferably such as to facilitate handling of the mandrel thereby. The inner end of each of the knobs preferably is in the form of a shoulder 38 adapted to oppose the outer face of the adjacent side wall of the holder and thus cooperating to maintain the mandrel and the paper roll 31 supported thereby against appreciable end-wise shifting relative to the holder. By having the inside spacing between side walls of the holder appropriately wider than the length of the paper rolls to be supported therein, and by having the spacing between the knob shoulders 35 appropriately calculated with respect to the outside spacing between the holder side walls, the paper roll 31 when centered upon the mandrel will be substantially held by the mandrel against end-wise movement into binding relaton to either side wall of the housing whereby to assure freedom of turning movement of the roll.

In operation, the mandrel I2 is removed from the holder and assembled with the paper roll 31 by moving the mandrel endwise into position in the core tube 35 until the bearing necks and the knobs 34 are substantially equally exposed at the opposite ends of the roll. Then, with the cover I I raised, the mandrel and roll assembly is moved transversely into the holder until the journal portions 33 of the mandrel engage against the respective diagonal side wall edges 2|. Upon release of the roll and mandrel assembly it drops down and is guided by the diagonal edge portions 2| into the bearing cradle notches 22 where the mandrel journals 33 are held against escape by the upstanding ears 23. The cover H is then allowed to drop down into covering relation to the roll and the complementary edges of the side walls 25 of the cover engage against the edges of side walls M of the holder bracket.

By having the outer or front wall 24 of the cover turned rearwardly to the lower rear edge portions 30 of the side Walls 25, the roll 3'! within the holder is completely concealed from the front of the holder while nevertheless a large opening is present rearwardly of the lower edge of the cover front wall between the side walls M of the bracket and forwardly of the rear panel l3 of the bracket through which the end of the paper roll extends for withdrawal as needed. Furthermore, the lower edge of the cover front wall 24 may serve as a convenient tear-oft abutment 39. On the other hand, of course, the roll could be ing a body comprising spaced apart mutually cooperative bowed clutch spring sections and journal neck portions integral with the respective opposite adjacent end portions of the spring clutch sections and received bearingly in said bearing depressions, the length of the clutch spring sections being substantially less than the width between the side wall portions of the bracket member and the length of the journal necks being such that compression and release of the spring clutch sections is accommodated by axial movement of the journal necks in said bearing depressions without interference of the spring clutch sections with the side walls of the bracket, terminal knobs on the journal necks projecting outwardly beyond the respective adjacent side walls and engageable for manipulating th mandrel and constructed to facilitate insertion of the mandrel into the core tube of a paper roll, and a cover hingedly attached to the upper portion of the bracket and swingable into closing position with respect to the bracket, the cover having side walls with edges complementary for edgewise engagement with said edges of the bracket side wall portions and cooperating with said ear portions for retaining disposition relative to the mandrel, the cover having a lower edge in spaced relation to the bracket to afford a downward opening for paper delivery from a supported paper roll.

2. In combination in a paper roll holder of the character described, a mandrel comprising a body in the form of a plurality of outwardly bowed leaf spring clutch sections having the ends thereof respectively joined integrally in one piece in the form of axially oppositely extending respective journal necks, said journal necks terminating in knob portions, and a supporting bracket having side walls including bearing edges engaged in bearing supporting relation with said journal necks, said side walls being spaced apart further than th maximum extent of said spring sections when the spring sections are compressed by insertion of the mandrel within a roll having a smaller internal diameter than the expanded diameter described by the bowed spring clutch sections.

3. In combination in a paper roll holder of the character described, a mandrel having mutually cooperative bowed leaf-spring-like central clutch portions with the opposite ends symmetrically disposed and united in one piece with coaxial oppositely extending respective journal necks, the journal necks terminating in respective knob extremity portions, and a supporting bracket having side walls formed with bearing edges supporting said mandrel by engagement with said journal necks, the length of said journal necks relative to the spacing between said side walls being such as to aflord ample clearance between the ends of the clutch portions and the adjacent knobs for free accommodation of relative axial displacement of the journal necks and knobs in the compression and expansion of the spring clutch sections without binding of the clutch portions or the knobs against the side walls.

4. In combination in a paper roll holder of the character described, a half-shell structure including a lateral flange for attachment of the half-shell structure to a wall about a cavity with the major portion of the half-shell structure extending into the cavity and the opening of the half-shell structure facing outwardly, a cover member cooperable with the half-shell structure to close said opening and affording with said half-shell structure a casing for enclosing a paper roll, a, forward edge of the half-shell structure including a generally vertical upper section spaced forwardly from said flange and a generally vertical lower section offset outwardly relative to the upper section by an upwardly facing shoulder intervening between the upper and lower edge sections, and a mandrel having an end knob and a journal portion inwardly adjacent said knob, said half-shell structure having a bearing recess at the juncture of the upper section with said shoulder for accommodating the paper roll supporting mandrel with said knob clear of said flange for ready manipulation.

5. In a paper roll supporting device of th e character described, a mandrel comprising a onepiece member of inherently resilient material comprising a central portion including a plurality of outwardly bowed leaf spring sections having the ends thereof integrally connected in one piece in the form of journal neck portions, said neck portions having respective bulletshaped terminal knobs of substantially greater diameter than the neck portions and having shoulders facing toward the adjacent ends of the spring sections and in spaced relation thereto.

6. In combination in a paper roll holder, a bracket portion adapted to be secured to a wall, said bracket portion having spaced parallel vertical side walls adapted to receive a roll of paper endwise therebetween, the upper edges of said side walls being coextensive and each including a generally downwardly extending rear portion and a generally horizontally extending forward portion defining a reentrant corner, said reentrant corner juncture of the wall edge portions providing respective journal recesses, a paper supporting mandrel having respective bearing portions journaled in said recesses and respective knobs beyond the outer ends of the bearing portions, and a cover having side walls complementary to the bracket side walls and engaging the upper and forward edges of the bracket side walls when the cover is closed, said cover side walls having journal recesses complementary to the bracket side wall journal recesses for accommodating the bearing portions of the mandrel, said knobs being engageable outside the closed holder for rotating the mandrel.

WILLIAM E. GOUGH, JR.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 520,221 Reid May 22, 1884 572,043 Yeakel Nov. 24, 1896 777,981 Sterling Dec. 20, 1904 1,117,983 Dalton Nov. 24, 1914 1,297,110 Davis Mar. 11, 1919 2,090,297 Knoche Aug. 17, 1937 2,234,021 Castrique Mar. 4, 1941 2,390,399 Tator et al. Dec. 4, 1945 2,440,974 Resch May 4, 1948 2,487,763 Patterson et al Nov. 8, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 387,571 Great Britain Feb. 9, 1932 

